The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives immediately after NSFAS received stories about some accommodation providers who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so as to get access to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation vendors from the obligatory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement concerning the non-public accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS said in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states which the lease is going to be paid out regular monthly into the accommodation provider (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf from the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not have to have or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or every other kinds of payment towards the lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, which includes payment of rent, when awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall don't have any recourse towards the lessee for any here default inside the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded as a consequence of an incorrect choice by NSFAS, the scholar won't be responsible for payment of any arrear rent for the accommodation provider, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS defined that where by the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying here the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the student are going to be accountable for payment of lease on the lessor from click here the day of being defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval nsfas document submission deadline of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the click here interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za